By: Andreas Moritz
Posted: September 28, 2012 — updated 2016
Book excerpt: Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation
Unrefined Salt Benefits – Important Functions of Real Salt in the Body:
- Stabilizes irregular heartbeat and regulates blood pressure – in conjunction with water
- Extracts excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells
- Balances sugar levels in the blood, which is particularly important for diabetics
- Is essential for the generation of hydroelectric energy in the cells of the body
- Is vital for the absorption of nutrient components through the intestinal tract
- Is needed to clear the lungs of mucus and sticky phlegm, particularly in those suffering from asthma and cystic fibrosis
- Clears up catarrh and congestion in the sinuses
- Is a strong natural antihistamine
- Can prevent muscle cramps
- Helps prevent excess saliva production; saliva that is flowing out of the mouth during sleep may indicate salt deficiency
- Makes bones firm; 27 percent of the body’s salt content is located in the bones; salt deficiency and/or eating refined salt versus real salt are major causes of osteoporosis
- Regulates sleep; acts as a natural hypnotic
- Helps prevent gout and gouty arthritis
- Is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido
- Can prevent varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs
- Supplies the body with over 80 essential mineral elements; refined salt, such as the common table salt, has been stripped of all but two of these elements. In addition, refined, commercial salt contains harmful additives, including aluminum silicate, a primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Miracle of Unrefined Salt Benefits
Natural sea salt contains 92 essential minerals, whereas refined, adulterated salt (a by-product of the chemical industry) contains only two elements, sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). When cells suffer from a dietary deficiency of trace elements, they lose their ability to control their ions. This has dire consequences on the human body. Even if ion equilibrium is lost for just one minute, cells in the body begin to burst. This can lead to nervous disorders, brain damage or muscle spasms, as well as a breakdown of the cell-regenerating process.
When ingested, natural sea salt (reconstituted seawater) allows liquids to freely cross body membranes, blood vessels walls, and glomeruli (filter units) of the kidneys. Whenever the natural salt concentration rises in the blood, the salt will readily combine with the fluids in the neighboring tissues. This, in turn, will allow the cells to derive more nourishment from the enriched intracellular fluid. In addition, healthy kidneys are able to remove these natural saline fluids without a problem, which is essential for keeping the fluid concentration in the body balanced. Refined salt, however, may pose a great risk to the body. It prevents this free crossing of liquids and minerals (see the reasons for this below), thereby causing fluids to accumulate and stagnate in the joints, lymphatic ducts and lymph nodes, and kidneys. The dehydrating effect of commercial salt can lead to gallstone formation, weight increase, high blood pressure, and other health problems.
The body requires salt to properly digest carbohydrates. In the presence of natural salt, saliva and gastric secretions are able to break down the fibrous parts of carbohydrate foods. In its dissolved and ionized form, salt facilitates the digestive process and sanitizes the GI tract.
Commercially produced table salt has just the opposite effect. To make salt resist the reabsorption of moisture and, thereby, be more convenient for the consumer, salt manufacturers add chemicals such as desiccants, as well as different bleaches, to the final salt formula. After undergoing processing, the salt can no longer blend or combine with human body fluids. This invariably undermines the most basic chemical and metabolic processes in the body. Water retention, along with kidney and blood pressure problems, are the most obvious consequences of refined salt consumption. Refined salt is still added to thousands of different manufactured foods. Some 50 percent of the American population suffer from water retention (the leading cause of weight gain and obesity). The consumption of large amounts of refined salt is much to blame for that.
Before salt was commercially produced, it was considered the most precious commodity on earth, even more precious than gold. During the Celtic era, salt was used to treat major physical and mental disturbances, severe burns and other ailments. Research has shown that seawater removes hydroelectrolytic imbalance, a disorder that causes a loss of the immune response, allergies and numerous other health problems.
In recent years, salt has earned a bad reputation, and people have learned to fear it, in the same way they fear cholesterol and sunlight. Many doctors warn their patients to stay away from sodium and sodium-rich foods. However, to live a salt-free life means that you will suffer an increased risk of mineral and trace mineral deficiencies, as well as numerous related complications. Eating unrefined salt fulfills the body’s need for salt without upsetting the hydroelectrolytic balance. If your diet contains a good amount of potassium in natural form, you should have no concern about being harmed by the relatively small amount of sodium in real sea salt. Foods that are particularly high in potassium are bananas, apricots, avocados, pumpkin seeds, beans, potatoes, winter squash and many other vegetables. However, if potassium levels in the body drop below normal, sodium (even in natural salt) can become a source of imbalance.
Celtic ocean salt (grayish in color) is a good product to ingest because it is naturally extracted through sun drying. Other great salts are sold at whole food stores such as Whole Foods Market or co-ops. Some are multicolored; others have a pink color. Himalayan salt is considered the best and most nutritious of all. The Hawaiian Black Sea salt is also excellent, and it tastes great. If taken dissolved in water or added to the water in which foods are cooking, these salts have profound, positive effects at the cellular level. Unrefined salt also helps to cleanse and detoxify the gastrointestinal tract, and it keeps harmful germs at bay.
Refined Salt vs. Unrefined Salt: Refined Salt has virtually NO benefits for the body.
On the contrary, it is responsible for causing numerous health problems, including gallstones. The only salt that the body can digest, assimilate and utilize properly is unrefined, unprocessed sea salt or rock salt. For salt to be useful to the body, it needs to penetrate foods – that is, the moisture of the fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes must be allowed to dissolve the salt. If salt is used in its dry state, it enters the body in a non-ionized form and creates thirst (a sign of being poisoned). It causes further harm because it is not being properly assimilated and utilized.
You may dissolve a pinch of salt in a small amount of water and add that to fruit or other foods that are not usually cooked. This will aid in the digestion of those items while helping to de-acidify the body. Adding a pinch of salt to drinking water generates alkaline properties and provides you with important minerals and trace elements.
It may be worth mentioning that food should taste delicious, but not salty, in and of itself. Pitta and Kapha body types require less salt than does the Vata body type.
Watch Andreas speak about “How to Switch from Iodized Table Salts to Natural Salts”
This is an excerpt from Andreas Moritz‘s book Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation.
You may share or republish this article provided you clearly mention the name of Andreas Moritz and paste a hyper link back to the post:
https://www.ener-chi.com/eating-unrefined-salt-benefits-our-health/